Cat-Sense Group
Exploring the reactivity of solids in catalysis and sensing
Our group is involved in applied chemical research primarily involving energy and environment. Our work lies in the domains of Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Nanotechnology, Surface Science, Solid State Chemistry, Chemical Thermodynamics, Kinetics, Microscopy, Molecular Spectroscopy and finally culminating into a field of interdisciplinary science called Heterogeneous Catalysis. Our broad objective is to develop new solid materials which can accelerate the rates of chemical reactions so that they can be performed efficiently (quickly, selectively by consuming less energy). Importantly, we consciously choose to work in those chemical reactions that have high relevance to cleaning the environment. The bottlenecks associated with materials are our research interest. Applications can range from finding a suitable green alternative to a industrial process or a new catalyst for vehicles, air purifiers, water purifiers etc. Our research group works on the design and chemical synthesis of nano sized materials and studies. We are committed to understand the interplay between synthesis, structure and catalytic parameters in catalysts.
In heterogeneous catalysis, there are certain regions on the surface called active sites which are responsible for the catalytic activity in the reaction. Most often, a particular type of active site is desired for a high activity. However, it is a challenge to produce a single type of active sites across the surface of a catalyst in large numbers and even more to avoid the formation of undesirable active sites. In our group, we work to develop synthetic strategies of catalysts and try to understand the relation between the chemistry of synthesis, the type of structure that is obtained and the final activity for a reaction. This broadly involves developing expertise to achieve homogeneity of the heterogeneous catalysts. We explore the synthesis methods and characterization of nanomaterials, porous materials and interfaces.
The research group will typically constitute a mixed group of postdoc, students pursuing Ph.D degree / M.Sc / M.Tech thesis and also interns who want to have a flavour of research. However they will The group will all come with a strong passion to learn and contribute to sustainable energy and environment.